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Preparing For Your New Puppy

Congratulations on getting a new family member!!

Puppies bring so much JOY, snuggles and laughter to your home! We are so excited to be on this journey with you! Puppies are however a huge commitment and life changing addition to your world. Raising them properly is worth every ounce of the effort and time it takes to nurture a healthy and obedient dog. Your days and nights will look very different for the next couple of months. You’ll be cleaning up potty stains, finding chewed up pieces of furniture, your skin will likely have scratch marks, you’ll experience some sleepless nights, and your days will now be full of chasing the cutest little furry baby on four legs. Hang in there, its all worth it in the end!

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FOOD, SUPPLEMENTS & SUPPLIES TO BUY

    • Purchase whatever food the breeder is feeding the puppy. Even if you are planning to switch to a different food. In addition to nursing, our puppies are fed a mixture of Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy kibble , raw venison or beef, raw farm milk and most importantly Volhard Nutritional Supplement. Much more on this below with other suggestions for the future.

    • Buy stainless steel feeding dishes with a skid-proof bottom.  Stainless steel prevents bacteria growth. Linked here.

    • Purchase a gravity fed water container so that your puppy never runs out of water and they can’t tip over the water bowl.  Linked here.

    • Leash, collar and possibly a harness. Several favorites Linked here

    • Order Nosodes to replace harmful Vaccinations (more on this below) Linked here

    • Probiotics for Kibble fed puppies rather than RAW fed: If you choose to not use Volhard mentioned above, order a probiotic – this helps with any kibble fed dog and also helps during transition from kibble to raw/real food. Kibble doesn’t contain gut/immune support, dogs need more added to their diet – Linked here

    • Order bully sticks and other enrichment toys (more on this later)- Linked here

    • Always have organic 100% pumpkin puree on hand for any upset stomach issues.  Linked Here

    • Always have 100% organic bone broth on hand too.  This and pumpkin are great to feed for any sickness or tummy issues.  Linked Here

    • Have 1-2 sleeping/training crates inside your home for sleeping and training. More below. Get a bath mat (or two) for the crates. Here is a link for one that washes easily and has very little pile so most puppies will not chew it. But if this becomes an issue be sure to take it out of the crate. Linked here

    • Non-toxic cleaning supplies to ensure a healthy environment without harmful fragrances that cause hormonal disruptions and allergies. Linked here! 

    • Puppy/baby wipes are great to have on hand to clean puppy paws. Linked here.

    • The Forever Dog Book & others wisdom-filled books we recommend. Learn how to holistically raise a healthy pet without interventions. Linked here.

    • When choosing toys and raw-hide like options, ALWAYS avoid dyes, plastics and synthetic materials.  We suggest animal bone, horns and antlers which are natures chew toy for canines { Can purchase through our Amazon links on our storefront }, some rope toys are ok however avoid leaving them with your young dog unattended because they can swallow the rope and indestructible toys that are made with healthy materials. 

      Risks of manufactured plastic toys and un-natural rawhide:

        • Choking and intestinal blockages: Large pieces of rawhide can break off and get stuck in a dog’s throat, esophagus, or intestines. Rawhide is not easily digestible and can swell up to four times its original size, leading to life-threatening blockages that often require surgery.
        • Chemical exposure: The manufacturing process for rawhide can involve toxic chemicals, dyes, and preservatives like formaldehyde or chromium salts.  You can find some safe brands that are from farm raised and processed hide.
       
       
      If you choose to give a safe organic rawhide, simply take the rawhide away before it breaks into small, swallowable pieces. 

INTRODUCING PUPPY TO NEW SIBLINGS

indiana labrador breeder puppy siblings

Chances are you are bringing your new puppy into a home that already has a dog or two living in it. Some things to be aware of: Not all dogs like puppies. In fact many dogs do not like these little creatures that are full of energy and sharp teeth and have fully disrupted their routine. So you need to be patient and always be sure that the adult dogs have their own space that they can retreat to, away from the puppy. If your adult dog nips at the puppy he is only creating boundaries so do not reprimand too much as your dog for doing what’s natural. There is always a pecking order when it comes to dominance in animals.

 

That is your warning as well to be sure the adult dog has his own space. Never force your adult dog to be with the new puppy. The more you let it happen naturally, the better off the relationship will be.

 

Make all introductions outside. Letting them sniff each other and investigate in the great outdoors always seems to go better than indoor meet and greets. There is more space to retreat and also less things to be guarded (favorite toy, dog bowls, etc).

 

NEVER leave the puppy alone with your current dog. Even if they appear to get along, puppies can be persistent in their irritation, continuous biting, pulling and pouncing and even the gentlest of dogs can reach a tipping point. And certainly be sure they each have their own crate. They can be side by side in separate crates but never in the same one.

 

As the puppy grows, taking the dogs out for walks together can be great for bonding. It takes some dogs a lot longer to grow fond of the new puppy than others.

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POTTY TRAINING

You will have the best luck if you can get in the habit of putting your puppy in his crate when he is no longer playing with you or running around. As soon as the puppy crashes (this happens quickly and often) you should put the puppy in his crate. So many people make this mistake and they have just quickly popped into the bathroom and that’s when the puppy wakes up, walks two steps and pees and then continues on his merry way. Happy as a clam. Never reprimand a puppy for this. As we have said from day one, how quickly a puppy is potty trained is 100% dependent on YOU.

 

Also, do NOT be those people that use potty pads! Teaching a puppy to pee IN THE HOUSE is a step in the wrong direction!!! Even though our breeder raised puppies are litter trained with cedar chips in their large open kennel from 4-8 weeks old { Because we have 5-20 puppies at a time and it is almost impossible to take them in/out consistently }, your job is to train your new puppy to go outside and NOT let them ever go potty inside on a pad. This will only be confusing to their growing minds.

 

Potty training during the night is discussed below in the crate training section.

stefanie and brock childs heritage creek labs indiana 4x5

CRATE TRAINING

If you have a puppy, then crate training is a MUST for the puppies safety. There will be times when the puppy will need to be left home alone and for its safety, it is best to put the puppy in its crate where it can not get into anything resulting in a vet visit. Also, it is important to leave the puppy alone in their crate so separation anxiety is not created. Often times people think the puppy needs to go everywhere with them, but in actuality you are creating a dog that will not be able to handle being without you. This is called separation anxiety. It is debilitating to the dog and very stressful for the owner. It’s an easy fix. Just leave the puppy for a few hours each day in their crate while you sit outside, go for a walk or run errands.

 

Never leave any collar or harness on the puppy when you leave him in the crate alone.

 

Naptime? Always in the crate! Why? Because when puppies wake up they will take about 4 steps and squat to pee. But in the crate? They won’t pee, they will cry or make some noise alerting you to the fact that they woke up and need to be taken outside for a potty break. By putting the puppy in his crate for a nap, you are not only reinforcing the fact that crates are the place to be but also ensuring that when the puppy wakes up he will be contained and not free to pee in the house.

 

Give all enrichment toys ( Toppls and Pupcicles or a bully stick – LINKS) in the crate when you are home. Again, this reinforces that crates are super awesome. Never leave a puppy in the crate with toys or any choking hazard. They also don’t need water or food left in there while you are gone because you will not be leaving the puppy for more than 3 or 4 hours when the dog is less than 6 months old. If you MUST leave the puppy longer than this please be sure to get someone to come and let the puppy out for water, potty and playtime (at least an hour or until puppy naps again).

 

Always crate the puppy at night. This is where the two crates come in handy. At night this crate is right by your bed so you can reassure the puppy with your fingers when the puppy stirs. Many people think the puppy needs to go potty but its always best to assume the puppy is lonely. So always start with them smelling that you are near. Most puppies will settle right back down after smelling you. If the puppy continues to cry and whine after sticking your fingers in the crate, then the puppy is telling you its potty time. Take the puppy out but do not talk to him. This is potty break time not play time. Take them out, say “go potty” and then once that’s done pick him up and put him back in the crate.

 

Have a crate ready in the main part of the house and have one next to your bed (or buy one but be ready to move it around each night and morning). The one by your bed is only there the first couple of weeks. The first few nights the puppy will likely be missing his siblings so by the keeping the crate right next to the bed when the puppy wakes up and whines you can just stick your fingers in the crate where the puppy can smell them. That is enough reassurance to settle a lonely puppy. Do not talk to the puppy. This will just wake the puppy up and he will think its time to play. After a week of this you should be moving the crate further away from you to eventually placing the crate wherever the dog will be from here on out.

 

If you intend to keep the puppy in your bedroom with you then you might as well get a bigger crate with the divider right from the get-go. We typically suggest a smaller wire crate for the bedroom (and also its easy to move around and travel with if necessary) and a bigger crate with a divider for daily crating. The crate should only be big enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around as they will only be in there for a few hours at a time and a crate that is too big causes them to go to the far end of the crate to do their business and then step back to the other side to sleep in. You want to avoid that by having a crate that is just slightly bigger than they are. The ones we have for our puppies are 25”x17”x 20”. The bigger ones with the divider are 42” (or size Large).

 

These are the ones we prefer. Linked here!

 

Get a bath mat (or two) for the crate. It washes easily and has very little pile so most puppies will not chew it. But if this becomes an issue be sure to take it out of the crate. Linked here

 

Get a snuggle puppy for comfort and bring it along on puppy pick up day. Rub it on litter mates and the Mama dog for scent. This can then go in the crate at night with your puppy when you bring your puppy home. It will help him settle because he will smell his litter mates. It also has a heart beat feature that helps your puppy settle in the crate as if its a sibling because of the heartbeat. Linked here

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FEEDING HOLISTICALLY

We have an extensive blog post about holistically feeding your dog HERE. Check that out soon!

If you plan on changing the puppies diet you should wait a couple of weeks. Give the puppy time to acclimate to his new home. It usually takes the puppy about 2 to 3 weeks to get fully comfortable in his new home adjusting to the new routine and a life without his siblings. Many times a nervous puppy will experience loose stools in the first week in his new home. So if you switched his food the minute he got home you would assume it was the new food when there’s a real possibility that it was just him adjusting to his new environment. It’s best to add a probiotic to any kibble fed dog. If you decide to feed raw/real food then you won’t need the probiotic once you fully transition to real food.

raw dog food bowl indiana labrador breeder heritage creek labs

While we are talking about food, we feel we MUST talk about why you need to feed real food. The sooner you start feeding real food, the healthier your dog will be. Kibble isn’t truly a whole food source. Just because the food says “beef” in the ingredients doesn’t mean “beef” the way you are thinking. Did it start out as a nutritious hunk of beef? Maybe. But that beef has now been so overly processed and most nutritional value is gone. Literally gone. Vitamins and minerals are added to every bag of dog food because THAT is what is keeping your dog alive. The “food” they started with has been cooked at extremely high temperatures for hours on end, killing all nutritional value.  Just like dogs in the wild, an appropriate diet for a dog is real, raw food. There are homemade diets that you can cook or you can buy premade raw food. Just make sure it’s a reputable company if you decide to buy it instead of making it yourself. We feed Volhard’s Rescue or Natural Foundations 2. It is a dehydrated veggie, probiotic base mix that you add protein and water to. It has everything in it that a dog needs to thrive.

 

Natural Diet Foundation (NDF2) that is a grain base mix that you add protein and water to. We recommend starting puppies out on NDF2 and 80/20 beef. You can lightly cook the meat if you prefer but raw meat has enzymes in it that dogs need and when you cook the meat some of those enzymes go away. Raw is always best. You can feed Volhard as young as 4 weeks old. We highly recommend it. Check it out here.

 

Here are some other great options to check out or FRESH pre-made that can be shipped straight to your door:

 

 

 

Feed the puppy three times a day. ( You may feed the puppy in the crate too. This makes experiences in the crate a very positive thing.) A good schedule is 6-8 AM, noon and between 4 and 5 PM. I like to feed the last meal a little early so they have time to digest it and get it out before bed. I also pick up the water dish by 7 PM (unless the puppy has been playing and is hot, never withhold water from a thirsty puppy) and be sure to put the puppy to bed by 10PM after one last potty break.

Vaccinations

Avoiding unnecessary vaccination is MORE important than EVER. Choose holistic protection Nosodes over Vaccines When Possible.

puppy's first vet visit indiana labrador breeder

Did you know?

    • A vaccination today can have negative health consequences for life (even death, gulp!)

    • Once immune damage occurs (like allergies), no drug can cure it? (Not to say vets don’t try, at your expense, but they don’t succeed).

    • The side effects of the drugs used often create worse problems!

 

That’s why we have long held those decisions you make about vaccines to be the #1 Most Important health decision for those animals in your care. A lousy food can be remedied with a diet change. Results in a week. One vaccine “too many” can send your animal into a lifetime of suffering. And, if it triggers autoimmune disease, well, it’s not unusual to have a 50:50 chance of losing your loved one.

 

What is a Nosode? A Nosode is a homeopathic remedy. They are made from highly diluted preparations of diseased tissue, secretions, disease causing bacteria or viruses. It is sterilized and diluted many times until essentially no molecules of the original substance remains, leaving only an “energetic imprint” of the disease. The purpose of nosodes is to support the body when it comes in contact with the specific disease you are trying to gain immunity from. For example, a parvovirus nosode is given with the idea of supporting immunity. Nosodes have ZERO side effects as it’s essentially a sugar pill covered with the “energetic imprint”.

 

What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a biological product designed to train the immune system to recognize and fight a specific disease causing virus or bacteria, without causing the ACTUAL disease. ( ***Side note: this is a major issue with many vaccines as it DOES cause the actual disease)

 

What is IN a vaccine? A vaccine contains antigens, adjuvants, Stabilizers and Solvents. Lets break that down:

1) Antigen: this stimulates the immune response. This can be the actual virus itself (called a modified-live virus), again, this is not supposed to CAUSE the full disease but many times does. Another antigen used can be the killed virus or bacteria. This is dead pathogen pieces that still trigger an immune response.

2) Adjuvant: this is a substance added to boost the immune response, especially in killed vaccines. Common adjuvants are ALUMINUM salts and oils. No one would ever WANT a heavy METAL like aluminum in their body. However all vaccines contain them and that causes long term damage.

3) Stabilizers and Preservatives: these keep the vaccine effective during storage and transportation. Some examples are sugars, proteins or compounds like THIMEROSOL (aka Mercury!!! again, no one EVER wants mercury in their body or in their pets )

 

Now that we are clear on what your choices are (including doing absolutely nothing- no nosodes or vaccines) lets move on.  Chances are your puppy has had at least one vaccine before you picked him up. Here’s my advice. WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO VACCINATE OR NOT get some Nosodes (these take about a month to arrive so order now).

If you plan on continuing with the puppy series of vaccines, we would ALWAYS wait until 16 weeks.

 

Let us explain. The puppy gets maternal antibodies from disease through moms colostrum. These maternal antibodies decline over time, typically SOMETIME before age 16 weeks. But no one knows the exact timeframe. Therein lies the problem. A traditional Vet vaccinates your puppy every 3 to 4 weeks IN HOPES of catching when the moms immunity is no longer present. They do this because the moms immunity TRUMPS the vaccine. Read that again. This is important!!!

 

Let’s say your puppies maternal antibodies go away on week 13, (but the vet has no idea when this is going to happen which is why they vaccinate at 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks). So in this scenario, the vaccine at 8 weeks and 12 weeks DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because remember, the maternal antibodies in the puppy trumps the vaccine and this particular example shows that immunity left at 13 weeks. So the 8 week and 12 week vaccine did nothing except allow heavy metals to enter the puppies system and cause inflammation and sensitivities (that will come out now or later in life).

 

If we were going to vaccinate, instead of playing a guessing game with my puppies immune system, I would give holistic Nosodes until 16 weeks of age and THEN vaccinate ONE time because we can be fairly certain that the moms maternal antibodies are gone at 16 weeks.

 

And if you do NOT plan to vaccinate at all and you want to use Nosodes then it is CRITICAL that you understand this:

**The use of Nosodes is only one part of holistic care. In order to have the most success with Nosodes than you must treat the WHOLE dog. This means, an appropriate diet (real food), outdoor time (sun and dirt) and a non toxic environment (NON chemically treated yards, filtered water, non toxic cleaning supplies, only using candles that are soy or beeswax, only all natural NO plug ins or fragrance filled sprays (like Lysol and Febreeze), non toxic dryer sheets, etc.). If you raise the dog holistically then Nosodes will fit in well. You do not want to isolate the puppy “because he’s unvaccinated” you actually want to do just the opposite.

 

**And this may sound odd, but we DO want the puppy to pick up little bits and pieces of the virus during the first year.** Each time your puppy comes in contact with the virus it is building immunity to it. If we keep our puppy home and isolated then we will have bigger problems when the puppy finally comes into contact with the virus, especially if you are no longer giving Nosodes.

 

You will be using the Nosodes for at least 9 months. These will help support your puppy if indeed your puppy comes in contact with the distemper or Parvo virus. Directions come with the Nosodes, but basically you are putting a couple of Nosode “sugar beads” on your puppies gums once a week. Do this when the puppy is sleeping. It’s super easy and remember to NEVER TOUCH THE NOSODES WITH YOUR HANDS. The Nosodes come in a vial that dumps the beads into the top of the vial so your hands never have to come in contact with it and from there you just tip the vial into the puppies mouth.

 

The goal is for your puppy to have full immunity when you stop giving nosodes at 9 months. Again, our position on this is to do a Titer test (a blood test that test the levels of antibodies against specific diseases) for Distemper/Parvo at 9 months BEFORE stopping the Nosodes. Once you get a positive Titer Blood Test then you no longer need to give the Nosodes. Otherwise continue until age 1 when the puppies immune system has fully developed. The other option is to forego the Titer and just continue with the Nosodes until age 1.

 

We are also going to hit on a few other vaccines that will be offered to you at the vet: Lepto, Lyme, Bordetella and Rabies. Just to be clear, the ONLY vaccine that is required by law (side note: speeding is also a law, just sayin) is Rabies.

Leptospirosis Vaccine: One of THE harshest vaccines out there. This vaccine is supposed to create antibodies to FOUR of the most common strains of the Lepto bacteria. But there are over TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY strains of Lepto. The side effects from this one vaccine are super common and since this vaccine only lasts for a few months, it is suggested that you give it every single year. NO THANK YOU. Refuse this because it can cause life-long health issues.

Lyme Vaccine: This vaccine is basically useless. We have heard from other Breeders that have had dogs vaccinated against Lyme and within 3 days of this vaccine they were showing symptoms and tested positive for Lyme and had all the symptoms associated with the disease. This is also an annual vaccine. NO THANK YOU. Lyme disease doesn’t present in dogs the same way it does in humans. Many will have it however it will never effect them.

Bordetella (nose drops): Kennel cough is your basic cold. Contagious? Yes. A death sentence? Not even close. Your dog will cough a few times throughout the day and may not feel up to par but within a few days a typical healthy dog will be fine. Simply walk them everyday and support their immune system with things like bone broth and vitamin C. Also, there is a Kennel cough Nosode that is HIGHLY effective in preventing this cold so if you are taking your dog to puppy class or a dog show or any big dog event then we would suggest using it.

Rabies Vaccine: This vaccine is extremely harsh, just like the Lepto vaccine. As far as puppies go, if you choose this vaccine, I would give it as late as possible. I would also add in some Tousodes for protection from the rabies vaccine. You can learn more here Linked here

 

If you choose to vaccinate your puppy here are a few rules:

**Only ONE vaccine PER APPOINTMENT** We don’t care what your vet says, things like “you’re here you might as well give them all at once” or “no need to come back, we can safely administer all them at once” NOPE, NOPE AND NOPE. THIS IS WHERE YOU SAY “NO THANK YOU”. Stand firm on your holistic decision!

 

**Always DETOX before and after every vaccine! This is an easy and safe product to use as early as 8 weeks! LINK TO REBALANCER HERE. Directions are on the bottle.

yellow labrador sitting in basket indiana lab breeder

FLEA/TICK AND HEARTWORM PREVENTION

This looks very different for a holistically raised puppy then a traditionally raised puppy. As I said earlier, your vet will try to tell you your puppy NEEDS flea and tick protection. And I agree, but we don’t agree with giving your puppy pesticides and calling that “protection”. Does it protect them from these pests? Not always. But more importantly what are these pesticides doing to your puppy? This is poison that you either put ON him or IN him. It doesn’t take a Dr. degree to understand this CAN’T BE GOOD, right?

 

We will have a future blog post that talks about this in more detail for adult dogs. But for puppies, we try to keep it minimal until they are at least 4 months old. I will spray Wondercide (cedar smell) on my hands and lightly stroke the dogs fur so some spray gets on them. We’re never super worried about ticks on young puppies as they do not stray too far from their new owner, or run freely in the woods as an older dog would (if the area is right) and dogs that are on leash rarely are going to encounter ticks the way a dog that is off leash will.

 

Wondercide also works well for fleas. They make a yard spray and a pet spray. Again, preventing fleas and ticks is a layered approach. It’s a real food diet, sunlight and soil and a great immune system that has not been burdened with vaccines, flea and tick meds, worming meds or antibiotics.

 

We do not treat our dogs for heart worm because we do not leave our dogs outside if it is buggy. Again, we believe that a naturally reared dog has everything it needs to deal with heart worm but if I thought more was needed I would opt for a natural approach.

 

A Holistic Approach to Flea, Tick and Heartworms

 

Holistic care doesn’t focus on killing pests alone, it strengthens your dog’s internal defenses and creates an environment that’s less inviting to parasites. The goal is to build a healthier, more resilient dog, one who naturally fends off challenges like flea, tick and heartworm. Let’s explore how you can take a natural, well-rounded approach to support your dog’s health and keep these pests at bay.

 

1. Build Immunity Through Nutrition and Supplements

A strong immune system is a dog’s best defense against flea, tick and heartworm for dogs. Dogs in vibrant health are less likely to suffer complications from bites and infestations.

Immune-boosting strategies include:

    • Omega-3s for skin health and inflammation reduction

    • Probiotics and digestive enzymes for gut health

    • Antioxidants such as vitamin E and C

 

By enhancing immunity from the inside out, your dog becomes more capable of handling environmental challenges naturally.

 

2. Use Natural Flea and Tick Repellent for Dogs

Many over-the-counter options contain harsh chemicals that may cause skin irritation or long-term health concerns. Luckily, you can find many natural flea and tick repellents for dogs that are safe, gentle, and effective when used regularly.

 

Try these holistic repellents:

    • Flea and tick spray for dogs with diluted essential oils, (see tips the number 3)

    • Natural flea shampoos made with peppermint, rosemary, or neem

    • Herbal powders using diatomaceous earth and neem for coat and bedding

    • Coconut oil rubbed into the coat to repel fleas and soothe bites

    • Repellent tags or herbal collars/necklaces made specifically for dogs to help deter pests without harsh chemicals.

 

These natural flea and tick repellent for dogs are best used as part of a consistent care routine, especially before walks or time in tall grass.

 

3. Essential Oils

Safe flea treatment for dogs starts by eradicating chemicals. And Essential Oils are a great way to keep fleas away from your pet, without using any chemicals. These oils are made entirely from plants and are 100% natural. My go-to recipe for repelling pests is as follows:

    • 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar

    • 2 cups water

    • 30 drops Lavender

    • 20 drops of peppermint

    • 10 drops of Eucalyptus

 

Mix all ingredients into a spray bottle, and mist your pet about once every 24 hours for the most effective results when they will be going outside or have just come back indoors during warm months. You can also spray their bedding and any other soft surfaces that they frequent, to keep any wandering pests away.

heritage creek labs black lab puppy hickory reels

THE FIRST VET VISIT – WHAT TO EXPECT

If you have a contract with a breeder, there’s a good chance it is stated that your puppy be seen within the first month of you getting him. This is a good idea.

 

Some Vets will want you to bring a stool sample. If so, try to collect one that just happened the day of the appointment. No need to de-worm your puppy unless the fecal comes back positive. You will get the results in a few days so do not purchase any meds for a problem that may not exist.

 

We have chosen NOT to vaccinate our litters of puppies when they are in our care for the first 8 weeks of life. We understand that our puppies get all of their needed immunity from their mother’s milk for the first 16 weeks. If you plan to vaccinate once your puppy is in your care on the regular schedule, then stand your ground and ONLY do a delayed vaccine series. Sometimes they will say “it’s ok to do all of the shots today”. Give your puppy time to recoup between vaccines. (And remember to have your Rebalancer with you incase you cave!!! Give this BEFORE they jab your puppy).

 

But here’s what they should do:

    • Weigh the puppy

    • Check the heart

    • Movement of the legs

    • Check for an over/under bite

    • Check for missing testicles in males. A missing testicle will typically “fall” by the time they are 1 year old, if not before.

 

Your vet may also mention microchipping if this has not been done yet. I do NOT recommend microchipping. Again this is a personal decision but be mindful that you are putting a foreign body that is REACTIVE with radiation into your puppy. Something to research and think on. You can always say that you have not decided and you are thinking about it. Or you could practice being your dogs advocate and saying “No thank you” with a smile. Always with a smile :). Microchipping has been linked to seizures and other health issues because it can navigate through the body or erode in the dog’s body because it wants to rid itself of harmful properties.

 

Here’s a big one- you will probably receive a “puppy pack” and in this pack will be a sample of science diet kibble, a free sample of some flea and tick medicine (POISON), and some literature about the current or “core” vaccines that your puppy must have or it will most likely die (enter eye roll here). They will also word it as “REQUIRED” core vaccines. The only vaccine REQUIRED by the STATE is Rabies. The veterinary institution can NOT enforce this. They are there to SUGGEST IT and tell you that it is required by the state.

 

*BUT IT IS UP TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THIS VACCINE OR NOT*

And remember, ONE Rabies vaccine lasts anywhere from 8 years to the life of the dog. Always do a Titer Blood Test whenever possible or trust that your dog is protected.

 

The vet will also ask you what you are feeding. If you were lucky enough to bring home a raw fed puppy then this is where you will get your first chance at being a confident “I AM doing all the right things” puppy owner!! You will say WITH CONFIDENCE “I’m feeding a complete well balanced fresh food diet”. They may ask which one to which you will answer, again with confidence and a well researched voice, the name of the food. Hopefully upon hearing in your voice that this is NOT up for discussion, they will move on to asking about flea and tick protection to which you will continue with your confident demeanor and you will say “I have several non toxic options that I will be using”. Feel free to be vague. It’s actually none of their business what you use. You can say “I have several homemade non toxic sprays that I will be making” or “I’m currently reading the Forever Dog Book and there’s several ideas in there that I can choose from and I haven’t decided which I will be using yet”. Again….this is way more information than they actually need. But I know some of you struggle with this. I would simply say “I’m all set with flea and tick protection” and my body language and confidence speaks volumes, so they just move on with the next thing.

 

And when the appointment is done and they say “see you in a few weeks for the second round of shots” or “we need to see Fluffy in about a month for the distemper/parvo booster” you say “great, thanks”. And when you get to the receptionist you can then make your next appointment for the second round OR if you have decided you will wait until 16 weeks of age, knowing that will be the only Parvo/distemper vaccine your puppy needs, then you can say “I will book this later when I get home as I don’t have my schedule on me”. This leaves you free to call back when you are ready to vaccinate in a few months.

 

And another VERY IMPORTANT piece of this is the typical Distemper/Parvo vaccine is really 4 vaccines all in one. DHPP. This is Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvo. You CAN get these vaccines separate and only get Parvo or Distemper per injection but you do have to call ahead and some vets do not do this. But you could always call ahead and see if this was an option if you are interested.

 

Sometimes vets will give what’s called a 5 way vaccine. This is the DHPP PLUS LEPTO. So its called the DHLPP. This vaccine will knock a puppy on its butt. Never give this vaccine EVEN IF you have decided to go ahead with the lepto vaccine. You definitely can make a separate appointment and get the Lepto vaccine ONLY (when the puppy is older). But I STRONGLY think you should do WAY MORE RESEARCH on this.

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PUPPY CLASS

We are a firm believer in taking your puppy to puppy class. It’s not only a great place for your puppy to learn but it is also great for the puppy to experience being around other dogs but not be able to play with them. Your puppy will learn self control and you will also be able to see others with their puppy and the different ways people handle their dog.

TEACH YOUR PUPPY TO SETTLE

This is a big one. Lots of people overstimulate their puppy, never giving the puppy any downtime. This creates a puppy that never learns to settle. They must always be on the go, getting into things, and trying to get you to play with them. Sometimes puppies in this situation turn very vocal, trying to get your attention because you have all of a sudden needed some “me time” and the puppy does not know what to do with itself.

 

Throughout the day you should be crating your dog for an hour or two while you hang out in the house. Getting your puppy used to being in the crate quietly will come in handy in all the years to come. Another great thing to teach is “place.” There are several videos on YouTube as to how to do this. This comes in very handy when taking your dog places.

 

Also, you should practice (as the puppy grows) walking on a leash in-town, where there’s lots going on, and you should be able to sit on a park bench and your older (5 or 6 months old or so) pup should be able to sit at your feet or lay down next to you and observe life around him without barking, whining or pulling on the leash to try to get to something that is catching his eye. Now don’t expect this if you just got outside and you have only walked for 5 minutes. This is after he has got some energy out so settling should not be a problem.

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EXERCISING YOUR PUPPY OUTDOORS

Sunshine and fresh air will do wonders for the health and wellness of your puppy! Sunlight can heal and prevent sickness, along with give emotional support. When it comes to walking your puppy the rule of thumb is 5 minutes per month old. So a 4 month old puppy should be able to walk 20 minutes. A 6 month old puppy should be able to walk 30 minutes. Every dog is different so look at the dog in front of you. Some puppies have much more energy than others.  We’ve taken our 5 or 6 month old dogs for small hikes being much longer than the recommended 40 minutes. Walking your puppy twice a day (20 min AM and 20 min PM for the 4 month old for example) is bare minimum. Puppies need to get outside in the sun everyday and they also need to be walked at least twice a day.

And don’t be afraid to do things with your new puppy! Bring them swimming, bring them for car rides to friend’s houses, to the restaurant where you can eat outside. The more you do with your dog, the better they will be.

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ENRICHMENT TOYS

Having enrichment toys is necessary for the puppy AND YOU. You may have forgotten but will be quickly reminded once you bring your puppy home, that puppies are busy busy creatures and that means having your morning coffee while you catch up on emails is no longer going to happen UNLESS you have a few enrichment toys to help you. Bully sticks are your best friend. Save these for times when you need some “alone” time.

 

This should entertain puppy for a solid 20 minutes or so, maybe more. YAY! Once you are done or the puppy has stopped chewing the bully stick, PICK IT UP. This is not given to puppy until you need alone time again. If you leave it down then it is no longer special. And it must be seen as special if you want to be able to count on it to give you alone time.

 

Another great enrichment toy is the West Paws Toppl. They come in a variety of sizes so start small. Fill it with yummy things like canned pure pumpkin and sardines or yogurt and pieces of cooked meat. This is great as a rainy day treat. We like to freeze ours so it lasts longer but a new puppy may need to try it fresh to learn that there’s awesome food inside so when its frozen and less “smelly” they already know what to do with it. You can also put one of their meals in it. Instead of giving food in a bowl just stuff it in the Toppl. It makes them work for their food and that is mental stimulation and that is ALWAYS a good thing!

 

The other toy we like is the Pupsicle. This is similar to the Toppl as you fill it with yummy food but it has a smaller opening so the pup has to lick it versus using their teeth to get the food out. It typically lasts longer. Again, I freeze it and give to them frozen. This is more of a “treat” (you can’t use it for a meal replacement) because of the size. But it buys you some time to do a few things for yourself while the puppy is entertained!

 

Again, give these enrichment treats in the crate if possible. Remember, good things happen in the crate. This just reinforces that :). Linked here

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BATHING YOUR PUPPY

Dogs do NOT need regular baths. In fact, it’s the opposite. Dogs have natural oils and microbes on their skin that protect it. The skin microbiome is populated by a variety of beneficial bacteria, fungi and yeasts. The microbes form a type of protective barrier that is very much necessary for health. Every time you bathe your dogs, you are wiping out that bacteria leaving them exposed to disease.

By all means if your puppy has poop on them or rolled in something gross then a bath is necessary but always use ALL NATURAL shampoo. I recommend something like this: Linked here

NAIL TRIMMING

You can do this on your own! Begin by taking a wee bit off AND DO THIS EVERY WEEK. Start by doing this when the puppy is sleeping because chances are you are going to be nervous and a squirmy puppy will not help matters. Once you get the hang of this it’s easy peasy and because you do this so often you will never have to take a big portion of the nail, just the tip will be enough.

I have had good luck with both the dremel and a dog clipper. It’s really your preference, whatever feels right for you. There are the two I recommend. Linked here

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TREATS

I think treats are great for training (especially puppy class). But once your puppy “gets it” and is now 2 years old then it’s time to ease up on the treats. I know some owners that give their dog a treat after they “go potty” because they have been doing it since the dog was 8 weeks old. Same with coming in from outside. Every time a dog goes out or in they should not be getting a treat.

 

There are far too many overweight, treat crazy pooches in this world. Teach your dog to come to you because you have spent hours training him and now you have a bond where some love and big pets is all your dog needs, not treat after treat after treat. And when you do give treats try to give one ingredient or “few ingredient” treats. I also would stay away from liver treats for training. A liver treat, while it is one ingredient, is very nutrient dense and can easily be given much too often causing certain nutrient imbalances. I think a liver treat every few days is plenty. 

 

Here’s a good training treat linked here.

SPAYING AND NEUTERING

I think you have all heard the new recommendations of the spay and neuter timeline. Waiting until 2 years of age is the updated age. There are many reasons to wait until this age, the main one being the closing of the growth plates. If your dog is spayed or neutered before these plates close then they stay open longer, leading to a taller but lightly built dog which can increase the risk of hip and elbow dysplasia, ACL tears and other orthopedic injuries.

 

Early removal of these sex hormones has been linked to increased risk of some cancers including Osteosarcoma (bone cancer), Hemangiosarcoma (blood vessel cancer) and Mast Cell Tumors.

 

Hormones play a crucial role in behavior. Hormones influence confidence, brain development and behavior. Early neutering can increase the risk of noise phobias, separation anxiety and fear-based behavior. Meaning, your happy go lucky two year old intact male, once neutered, could act aggressively to an INTACT male, where as before he was neutered, he would have had no problem with that intact male. It’s almost as if the neutered dog now feels threatened by the INTACT (still has his sex hormones) so they automatically look for a fight. It is something I see and hear about ALL OF THE TIME. **In my opinion, it is the number one reason I would never recommend neutering your dog.**

 

In female dogs the spaying before age 2 means she may have urinary incontinence later in life. This is the one of the reasons I recommend waiting until age 2 as I see this ALL THE TIME. Between incontinence later in life, to a torn ACL, those are reasons enough to wait until at least age 2 to spay.

 

Female Dogs:  Waiting until age 2 means you will have to go through a heat cycle or two. Typically this is not as scary as it seems. When a dog is in heat you will want to put a blanket or sheet over the areas where she lays so you can wash them regularly. You may want to contain her to one room or floor so she is not spotting blood. Its literally a drip but if the dog lays down for a bit when she goes to stand up there may be a few more drips than normal.

 

The main thing to remember is to keep her away from male dogs for at least 3 weeks to a month. This is crucial. Even a neutered dog can mount and penetrate her during this time (when she allows and is ready) and although she won’t get pregnant, they could both get hurt as they will be stuck together and could hurt themselves trying to separate before they are ready.

 

If you do decide to spay your female you should look into Ovary Sparing Spay. OSS allows some hormones to remain in the body as one ovary is spared. Hormones play a very important role in keeping your dog as healthy as possible. Anytime you can keep a dog intact means that dog will continue to thrive.

SUMMARY:

Thank you for allowing us to raise your new furry best friend! We hope this guide is helpful in starting you off on the right path with your darling beloved puppy. This post has simply touched on the very basics we know are important. Here are some additional recommendations for good reads that should fill in any gaps.

Check out our book recomendations linked here!

Enjoy EVERY minute with your darling new puppy. Those little weeks fly by so fast! – Stefanie & Brock Childs

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Our Family:  The Childs + Our 4 Labradors | Willow, Sage, Violet + Maple

Disclaimer: The following information is supplied on the understanding that it is not designed to take the place of medical advice. Its aim is to be a supplement to your Veterinarian’s advice. Diagnosis of a medical or surgical condition in your dog can only be carried out by a licensed Veterinarian. The holistic Labrador dog breeder { Heritage Creek Labs } that created this document cannot be responsible for decisions any Client may make with regards to supporting their dog(s).  Any application of the recommendations set forth in the following pages is at the Client’s discretion and sole risk. It is strongly advised that the Client at all times seeks out the best holistic Veterinary resources available in order to make informed decisions regarding the care of their dog(s).

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